Order of the Virtues (Egypt)

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The Order of the Virtues (Arabic: Nishān al-Kamāl) is an Egyptian national honour reserved exclusively for women, awarded in recognition of notable merit or service. Originally established as a dynastic order in 1915 by Sultan Hussein Kamel, it honoured Egyptian and foreign women of distinction. After the 1952 revolution, the Republic of Egypt re‑instituted the order in 1953 under presidential decree, maintaining its four-tiered structure (Supreme, First, Second, and Third Classes). The Supreme Class is typically conferred upon first ladies or equivalents, while lower classes recognise spouses of officials such as ministers and ambassadors. Insignia include a light‑grey sash edged in gold for the Supreme Class, each with corresponding medallions and ribbons. Notable recipients span numerous royal and state figures, including Elizabeth II, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Queen Sofía of Spain.

## Order of the Virtues

[edit]

Order of the Virtues
Nishan al-Kamal

Type| Order
Established| 1915
Sovereign| King Fuad II
Grand Mistress| Princess Fawzia-Latifa
Precedence
Next (higher)| Royal Order of Muhammad Ali
Next (lower)| Royal Order of the Nile
Equivalent| Royal Order of Ismail I

Ribbon bar of the Order

The Royal Order of the Virtues (or  Malakiun Nishan al-Kamal) is a dynastic order-of-knighthood for women of the Egyptian Royal Family which is very rarely awarded by its current sovereign, King Fuad II.

### History

[edit]

The Order was founded in 1915 by King Hussein Kamel I of Egypt to honour women in various fields of society.

### Grades

[edit]

* Dame Grand Cordon, Special Class
* Dame Grand Cordon
* Dame Grand Officer
* Dame Commander
* Dame

Ribbon bars[1][unreliable source?]

3rd Class |  2nd Class |  1st Class |  Supreme Class

### Insignia

[edit]

* The ribbon for the sash ribband and bows is light blue with gold edges.
* The breast stars are of five points in two variants, a larger size for the Special Class of the Grand Cordon and a regular size for the Grand Cordon and Grand Officer grades.
* The badge is similar to the regular size of the breast star and is suspended from the Grand Cordon ribband sash as well as bows of four sizes for the different grades.

### Notable recipients

[edit]

* Elisabeth of Bavaria, Queen of Belgium: Supreme Class
* Queen Nazli of Egypt: Supreme Class (1917)
* Queen Farida of Egypt: Supreme Class (1938)
* Princess Fawzia Fuad of Egypt: Supreme Class (1939)
* Empress Tadj ol-Molouk of Iran: Supreme Class (1939)
* Princess Faiza Fuad of Egypt: Supreme Class
* Princess Faika of Egypt: Supreme Class
* Princess Fathia of Egypt: Supreme Class
* Queen Narriman of Egypt: Supreme Class (1951)
* Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (later Queen Elizabeth II): Special Class (1948)
* Queen Fadila of Egypt (now Princess Fadila Loeb-Picard): Supreme Class
* Princess Fawzia-Latifa of Egypt: Supreme Class
* Princess Noal Zaher of Afghanistan: Supreme Class
* Huda Sha'arawi: Supreme Class[2]

## Order of Virtues

[edit]

Order of Virtues
Nishan Kamal

bow for a commander.

Awarded by President of Egypt
Type| Order
Established| 1953
Awarded for| To women as an award for merit
Grades|

* Grand Cross
* Grand Officer
* Commander
* Officer
* Member

Precedence
Next (higher)| Order of Merit
Next (lower)| Order of Labour

Ribbon bar of the Order

The Order of Virtues (or Nishan Kamal) is an Egyptian national honour awarded to Egyptian and foreign women for merits, service and contributions.

### History

[edit]

The Order was established under the Republic in 1953 by Presidential Decree, using a similar name and insignia of the original honour, the Order of the Virtues.

### Notable recipients

[edit]

* Siti Hartinah, First Lady of Indonesia (1977)
* Diana, Princess of Wales (1981)
* Queen Sofía of Spain (1997)
* Infanta Cristina of Spain (2000)
* Queen Mary of Denmark (2024)
* Princess Benedikte, Dowager Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Burleburg (2024)
* Princess Marie, Princess Joachim of Denmark (2024)
* Queen Aishwarya of Nepal (1974)
* Queen Mariam of Brunei (now Princess Mariam Abdul Aziz) (1984)
* Queen Noor of Jordan (1989)

## See also

[edit]

* Orders, decorations, and medals of Egypt

## References and sources

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* World Medals Index, Republic of Egypt: The Order of the Virtues

1. ^ Colecciones Militares (Antonio Prieto Barrio), Egypt decorations - p.1
2. ^ Harem Years by Huda Shaarawi

* v
* t
* e

Orders of chivalry for women

Exclusively
for women:|

* Austria: Order of the Starry Cross
* Order of Love of the Neighbour
* Order of Elizabeth
* Bavaria: Order of Theresa
* Order of Saint Elizabeth
* Order of Saint Anna
* Burgundy: Order of the Dames of Rougemont
* Brunswick: Cross of Merit for ladies
* Bulgaria: Order of Charity
* Cambodia: Order of Satrei Vathana
* Denmark: Ordre de Parfaite Amitié
* Kingdom of Egypt: Order of the Virtues
* Ethiopia: Order of the Queen of Sheba
* Germany - Holy Roman Empire: Order of the Slaves of the Virtue
* Third Reich: Cross of Honour of the German Mother
* Greece: Order of Saints Olga and Sophia
* Order of Beneficence
* Japan: Order of the Precious Crown
* Lippe-Detmold: Ordine di Berta
* Korea: Order of the Auspicious Phoenix
* Mantua: Order of the Dames of Maria Elisa
* Mexico: Order of Saint Charles
* Persia: Order of Aftab
* Order of the Pleiades
* Philippines: Order of Gabriela Silang
* Portugal: Order of Saint Isabel
* Prussia: Order of Louise
* Cross of Merit for Women and Girls
* Ladies Merit Cross
* Romania: Commemorative Cross for Ladies
* Order for Merits
* Russia: Order of Saint Catherine
* Order of Saint Anastasia (since 2010)
* Order of the Red Cross for Ladies and Misses
* Holy See: Golden Rose (from 1759)
* Saxony: Order of Sidonia
* Ordine of Anna Maria
* Saxe-Merseburg: Order of the Skull
* Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt: Order of the Dames
* Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt & Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: Medal of Honour of Anna Luisa
* Serbia: Medal of Princess Nathalie
* Medal of Queen Nathalie
* Spain: Order of Queen Maria Luisa
* Sudan: Order of Excellence for Women
* Tonga Royal Family Order of Tonga
* Turkey: Order of Charity
* Ukraine: Order of Princess Olga
* United Kingdom: Royal family order
* Royal Family Order of George IV
* Royal Order of Victoria and Albert
* Royal Family Order of Edward VII
* Royal Family Order of George V
* Royal Family Order of George VI
* Royal Family Order of Elizabeth II
* Royal Family Order of Charles III
* Order of the Crown of India
* Royal Red Cross
* Württemberg: Order of Olga

Included a class
for women:|

* Anhalt: Order of Albert the Bear
* Baden: House Order of Fidelity
* Finland: Order of the White Rose of Finland
* Hesse: Order of the Star of Brabant
* Netherlands: Order of the House of Orange
* Saxon Duchies: Saxe-Ernestine House Order
* Thailand: Order of Chula Chom Klao
* Westphalia: Order of the Crown of Westphalia

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